With his head down on the table, dressed in his infamous hoodie, black mask and sunglasses, “Chalk Guy” (Henry Contreras) remained silent as he stood before a judge. 
On Wednesday, January 28, at 3:00 p.m., Contreras attempted to challenge the $5000 fine the city of Walla Walla had imposed on him for breaking the city’s Municipal Ordinance A-2405. He had been found liable on ten separate infractions for not removing his sidewalk chalk messages within a 24-hour window, according to Assistant City...

As Operation Metro Surge barrels through Minneapolis, fears of potential ICE activity have begun to swell locally. This week, Walla Walla has seen an anti-ICE protest downtown, gathering 75 to 100 people, and large events hosted by the Walla Walla Activism Network (WWAN) and the Walla Walla Immigrant Coalition (WWIC), respectively, that have focused on preparing for potential ICE activity in the area. This all occurred the same week that Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash) cancelled both of his to...

On Tuesday evening, Nov 4th at Whitman College, students and faculty gathered at the Kimball Theatre in Hunter Conservatory to hear Dr. Shannon Cram deliver her talk “On Telling Contaminated Stories.” The lecture unpacked the enduring legacies of nuclear contamination and how societies narrate those legacies. Dr. Cram emphasized the lasting impact of nuclear testing through her study on cleanup efforts.
“It is important to remember that cleanup is not simply the epilogue to nuclear history, it i...

In a collaborative effort, representatives from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), the city of Walla Walla and conservationists from Oregon and Washington presented their work and research surrounding the Walla Walla Basin Watershed on Oct. 21 in Reid Ballroom. 
Attendees included local community members whose careers or livelihoods are impacted by the Walla Walla Basin, a handful of students and representatives from Walla Walla, local fisheries and conservation...

“To Make Us Free: Witnessing Activism at Whitman and Beyond” opened on Sept. 23 and will stay open until March 13, 2026. The exhibit includes 55 art pieces and objects with works from 16 artists and art groups, which are featured in both the Maxey Museum and Sheehan Gallery.
After visiting an exhibit featuring stories of incarcerated women through art in 2019, Director of the Maxey Museum, Libby Miller, and Director of the Sheehan Gallery, Kynde Kiefel, felt inspired to visualize student activis...

Henry Contreras, commonly known as “Chalk Guy,” is disputing charges of over $11,000 in fines for violating the city of Walla Walla’s chalk use ordinance, which came into effect on February 12, 2025, after passing unanimously. Contreras is known locally for his chalk messages, which he often writes on Main Street and occasionally on Whitman’s campus. 
Contreras is fighting charges for writing political messages on the pavement, a case that has sparked conversation across the community about free...